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13th out of 355 books
—
277 voters
Stuck in the Middle (Sister to Sister #1)
by
Virginia Smith (Goodreads Author)
Joan Sanderson's life is stuck.
Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family, and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is stuck at home with Mom and her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement--or romance.
When a hunky young doctor moves in next door, Joan sets out to catch his eye. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentl
...morePaperback, 335 pages
Published
February 1st 2008
by Fleming H. Revell Company
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This story was fabulous! It wasn't edgy, IMHO, but it was still very intriguing and incredibly romantic, not to mention downright hilarious at times. For me, Stuck in the Middle was the perfect example of the best of the best Christian fiction. Not too much angst and drama, but just enough tension and issues to keep you turning the pages. The internal dialogue was so well done I felt like I was the main character dealing with the spiritual struggles and the sister issues. Such honest and fresh f...more
I downloaded this for free for my e-reader.
Joan is the middle child. While Allie is married about about to have a baby, little sister Tori is focused on her career. Joan just got out of a messy relationship, and still lives at home with her mother and grandmother. Then a sexy doctor moves in next door, causing competition for Tori and Joan, until Tori decides Ken's way too religious for her tastes.
Despite the fact that this book is a Christian book, it read heavily as chick-lit, especially for t...more
Joan is the middle child. While Allie is married about about to have a baby, little sister Tori is focused on her career. Joan just got out of a messy relationship, and still lives at home with her mother and grandmother. Then a sexy doctor moves in next door, causing competition for Tori and Joan, until Tori decides Ken's way too religious for her tastes.
Despite the fact that this book is a Christian book, it read heavily as chick-lit, especially for t...more
Joan Sanderson is the middle daughter. She works in a furniture store and lives at home with her mother and grandmother. She wishes she could move away but because of her grandmother's health issues she'd decided to move back home to help.
Her father left many years ago and Joan still misses him. She holds a grudge against her mother for letting him go.
One fine day, her world suddenly becomes more interesting when a doctor moves next to her house.
Ken Fletcher is starting a new practice and his si...more
Her father left many years ago and Joan still misses him. She holds a grudge against her mother for letting him go.
One fine day, her world suddenly becomes more interesting when a doctor moves next to her house.
Ken Fletcher is starting a new practice and his si...more
Everyone feels like they are stuck in the middle at some point in life and in reading this story you can't help but feel Joan's sorrow-she is trying to figure things out and get over the hurt of their Father leaving them, and also her Grandmother's aging.
Her Sister Allie is starting a family, Tori is assertive and gets what she wants-but she is still in the same town-all her classmates have moved out to work or start a family and it's like she is stuck in a rut.
I liked how her family is supporti...more
Her Sister Allie is starting a family, Tori is assertive and gets what she wants-but she is still in the same town-all her classmates have moved out to work or start a family and it's like she is stuck in a rut.
I liked how her family is supporti...more
Jan 11, 2012
Tammy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Tammy by:
Amazon.com
I just skipped through some reviews and saw that there were some negative ones because of the Christian content. Well I have to say that I completely loved this book. There was a lot of Christian aspects but it was not a lot of quotes or pushing of the bible but you just know that their religion played a huge part in their lives.
Joan is just the average middle sister who has a beautiful sister and another sister that is married to a wonderful man and expecting her first baby. All the while Joan...more
Joan is just the average middle sister who has a beautiful sister and another sister that is married to a wonderful man and expecting her first baby. All the while Joan...more
I only read this book because I just purchased a Nook, and I wanted to try it out and learn how things worked. This book popped up on the free book list, and I just grabbed the first one I saw. I began reading it as a way to learn the Nook's features.
If someone had asked me early in the book what kind of rating I would give it, my answer would not have been positive - certainly not 5 stars. The main character seemed interesting, and the story was easy to follow, but there were far too many annoy...more
If someone had asked me early in the book what kind of rating I would give it, my answer would not have been positive - certainly not 5 stars. The main character seemed interesting, and the story was easy to follow, but there were far too many annoy...more
This is a nice safe romantic story with a firm trench in christian faith as a background. Joan Sanderson is manager for Abernathy Sales and Rental and is 25 years old. She's one of the few remaining students out of 287 who graduated from Danville HS, Kentucky, and has stayed in Danville. She has an English degree, but she's never used it, hoping that one day she can step away from her job and actually do something with her life. Joan has always been the quiet one of the three sisters, whereas th...more
Like many of the other readers, I snagged this book because it was free (and because the girl on the cover has a cute skirt...). I read a book pretty much every day at work right now, so I aim for something that I can follow while still being available to customers.
This book doesn't have a really provoking storyline, but it's funny and sort of heartwarming. A lot of it spoke to me from the get-go(dealing with aging family members, failed relationships, what to do with life in your early 20's) bu...more
This book doesn't have a really provoking storyline, but it's funny and sort of heartwarming. A lot of it spoke to me from the get-go(dealing with aging family members, failed relationships, what to do with life in your early 20's) bu...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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: Ohmygosh, Virginia Smith writes a hilarious, tender story that chronicles family life for the Sanderson sisters. Change never is easy, and twenty three year old Joan is fighting it on all sides. Joan receives a call from her mom, “I’m going to kill her.”
“Hi, Mom. What has Gram done?”
“She’s alphabetized my underwear drawer.”
“She what?”
“It’s not funny Joan. My bras are all in the first row, color-coded alphabetically.”
Joan and Carla, live with Gram, Carla’s 85 year old mom, who’s driving her cra...more
“Hi, Mom. What has Gram done?”
“She’s alphabetized my underwear drawer.”
“She what?”
“It’s not funny Joan. My bras are all in the first row, color-coded alphabetically.”
Joan and Carla, live with Gram, Carla’s 85 year old mom, who’s driving her cra...more
I don't go to church. I don't care much for organized religion, but I consider myself a Christian. I didn't start reading this book because I thought it was about religion, I started reading it because it was about sisters....and not having one myself, I'm always envious of those who do, and find I'm curious about the relationship dynamics.
This book circles around religion... but for me it seemed much more like a story of a woman stuck in her life. She is scared of change, feels inferior & c...more
This book circles around religion... but for me it seemed much more like a story of a woman stuck in her life. She is scared of change, feels inferior & c...more
Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith is the story of Joan Sanderson and her boring, going-nowhere life. She's been dumped by her long time boyfriend, Roger the Rat, her older sister is pregnant, and her beautiful younger sister has a terrific job. Joan lives with her mother and grandmother, who is becoming increasingly fragile. When a hunky doctor moves in next door, Joan sees what she's been missing, but little sister Tori also wants him. This book is far more than just chick-lit. Joan feels a...more
I got this book as a Kindle freebie. I don't read Religious fiction and this book was not listed as such. About half way through this book, it became very clear that this book was in fact religous fiction to the point of becoming overbearing and overshadowing the "romance" aspect the summary mentions. I don't have an issue with characters who have faith in any religion, but I'd like a warning if that's going to be a major focus in the storyline.
However, if you enjoy religious fiction you will pr...more
However, if you enjoy religious fiction you will pr...more
What I liked most about this book is the struggle and transformation the main character, Joan, went through with her relationship with God. She had been going to church all her life thinking that was what church was all about, just attending on Sunday and being good the rest of the time. She meets a new neighbor, who she is attracted to and learns that there just might be more to a relationship to God than she has ever been taught. Although this isn't the main theme of the book, it should have b...more
I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what turned me off of this book. I got maybe a 1/4 of the way through and the characters did not grab me. They seemed very generic and I didn’t really see why Joan and Ken , the handsome new neighbor, fell in love. Joan kind of irritated me because she sounded like a spoiled brat being 25 years old, living at home not paying rent and then constantly accusing her mother of wanting to put her grandmother away in a home without even checking out the assisted livi...more
Small book; lot of heart.
Joan is such an endearing character, someone that is easily relatable, especially to those who have ever felt that they were "stuck in the middle."
I loved the relationships that were built on during this book, but consider the one between Joan and her mom to be my favorite. Twenty-five years without knowing the real reason her dad wasn't in her life, I imagine, can be rough. I was in tears when her older sister, Allie, told Joan about how their dad really was.
The siste...more
Joan is such an endearing character, someone that is easily relatable, especially to those who have ever felt that they were "stuck in the middle."
I loved the relationships that were built on during this book, but consider the one between Joan and her mom to be my favorite. Twenty-five years without knowing the real reason her dad wasn't in her life, I imagine, can be rough. I was in tears when her older sister, Allie, told Joan about how their dad really was.
The siste...more
No matter what your thoughts are pertaining to Christian fiction, you cannot find fault with this cover. I always say, covers are the gateway to the literary amusement park. This book proves it. It is the kind of cover that stops a B&N, coffee slurping, stay-at-home-mom like me to pick it up (or download it, as the case may be). Kudos to the cover artist (who wasn't listed on the Amazon site tsk-tsk).
I'm really not sure how I missed that this book is Christian fiction when I downloaded it. I...more
I'm really not sure how I missed that this book is Christian fiction when I downloaded it. I...more
No matter what your thoughts are pertaining to Christian fiction, you cannot find fault with this cover. I always say, covers are the gateway to the literary amusement park. This book proves it. It is the kind of cover that stops a B&N, coffee slurping, stay-at-home-mom like me to pick it up (or download it, as the case may be). Kudos to the cover artist (who wasn't listed on the Amazon site tsk-tsk).
I'm really not sure how I missed that this book is Christian fiction when I downloaded it. I...more
I'm really not sure how I missed that this book is Christian fiction when I downloaded it. I...more
I added this to my kindle because 1.) it was a free book, and 2.) it seemed like it would be cute. thought this was going to be a typical little quick read with some romance. It started out interesting enough, but I wasn't expecting it to turn so religious... and for someone who is not religious in the least, the story became slightly far-fetched and annoying. I don't mind a little mention of faith here and there... but a 25 year old girl complaining that... God visits poor children in Afghanist...more
i didnt no this book was christany i thought it was a good book at the beginning but went it got to much about church i didnt like it religion is not really my cup of tea if i knew the book was like this i would not have gotten it but wen i got it i was like screw it ill finish it. at all the part of them talking about god and church i would skip its not that i dont believe in god its that i dont like to talk about that. i think it was funny this book was less than g rated i would even let my si...more
I found this book to be high-school-ish, and kind of annoying. Within the first chapter (or maybe two) Joan, the main character, has a flash in her mind of a newspaper article....something she's just making up in her mind.
Then, when a handsome Dr. moves in next door, she and her older sister (who's married and pregnant) decided to create a competition between Joan and the youngest sister to see who can snag a date with him first! It's very childish...the older sister actually googles and prints...more
Then, when a handsome Dr. moves in next door, she and her older sister (who's married and pregnant) decided to create a competition between Joan and the youngest sister to see who can snag a date with him first! It's very childish...the older sister actually googles and prints...more
1 like · like · see review
This was my first Christian lit book and in the beginning the religious parts felt forced, towards the end they were all-consuming, which I guess is kinda the point the author was trying to make about God.
I liked the characters but I kept forgetting that the main character was 25 and not 35, maybe it was her name and her job? I felt like the author probably achieved HER agenda for this book, but I felt like there could have been much, much more to make this a better, stronger book.
I struggled w...more
I liked the characters but I kept forgetting that the main character was 25 and not 35, maybe it was her name and her job? I felt like the author probably achieved HER agenda for this book, but I felt like there could have been much, much more to make this a better, stronger book.
I struggled w...more
Like most romance fiction, “Stuck in the Middle” has a simple plot. You have Joan Sanderson, the middle child in a family of three sisters, trying to win the affections of Dr Ken Fletcher, the new neighbor. Then throw in a little competition from her younger sister, plus some family issues on the sidelines to spice things up.
You won’t find heart-racing romance here. In fact, I find the romance aspect vastly different from other chick-lit books. There’s hardly any physical intimacy - no animal lu...more
You won’t find heart-racing romance here. In fact, I find the romance aspect vastly different from other chick-lit books. There’s hardly any physical intimacy - no animal lu...more
Jun 21, 2012
Kimberly Mauldin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Kimberly by:
no one
Joan is someone that many can relate to. She is taking care of her grandmother, wedged between two sisters, uncertain of where she stands with her mother, and feels that her relationship with God has stalled. That is until a handsome and single doctor moves into the vacant house next door and does all that he can to get Joan out of her rut. Her sister's don't understand why Joan becomes the way she does because they don't truly understand her relationship with the Lord. We have all either been t...more
When this was a free download on my Nook eons ago, I got it and there it sat rotting.
Quick, fairly light and fluffy read. All together not half bad. The story line was cute, although the middle to end was a little too preachy Jesus-y for my liking, as I was unaware this is a Christian novel.
That said, I'm torn about reading the next book in the series. It's my understanding that each book follows one of the sisters. I'm curious to read Allie & Tori's stories, but I don't know that I can deal...more
Quick, fairly light and fluffy read. All together not half bad. The story line was cute, although the middle to end was a little too preachy Jesus-y for my liking, as I was unaware this is a Christian novel.
That said, I'm torn about reading the next book in the series. It's my understanding that each book follows one of the sisters. I'm curious to read Allie & Tori's stories, but I don't know that I can deal...more
Normally 4 stars from me means, "Wow. This is among the best books I've read." But that's not necessarily true for this book. The 4 stars actually mean, "Wow, this is the best book I could have read right now." The writing was nothing special. The plot was pretty mundane. But what I loved about this book is that it did not shy away from the Christian principles it was clearly trying to get across. In the end, the book was about how God affects our daily lives, and I think that's the most importa...more
This is the first book I've read on my Kobo since I got it in April. I got the book for free and wasn't sure that I'd like it. The description didn't really capture much interest, but I'm glad I decided to read Stuck in the Middle anyways. I read the majority of it in a day, hardly stopping to do anything else!
I really enjoyed reading through how Joan's life changed when she met Dr. Ken Fletcher, her new next door neighbour and when she more completely accepted Jesus into her life. She's a reall...more
I really enjoyed reading through how Joan's life changed when she met Dr. Ken Fletcher, her new next door neighbour and when she more completely accepted Jesus into her life. She's a reall...more
I'm actually surprised to report that I liked this book. Having not found much success with free downloads and especially not with Christian fiction, I was expecting a lot of chick lit drivel and stereotypes.
Don't get me wrong. This isn't a masterpiece of Christian fiction, or even of chick lit. It is, however, well-written and mildly entertaining. My biggest complaints include flat ensemble characters and a somewhat preachy tone at times. Actually, though, the preachy thing has been a part of j...more
Don't get me wrong. This isn't a masterpiece of Christian fiction, or even of chick lit. It is, however, well-written and mildly entertaining. My biggest complaints include flat ensemble characters and a somewhat preachy tone at times. Actually, though, the preachy thing has been a part of j...more
This was a Kindle freebie. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would have given it five stars had it not been for two things: First, even though I adored the story, I was extremely disappointed with the ending. It was too abrupt. I wanted to read so much more about the relationship between Ken and Joan, which brings me to my second issue. I'm a romantic by heart. It's my genre of choice; my ONLY genre, and while Stuck in the Middle definitely had romantic elements, I would have billed this more o...more
1 like · like · see review
I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. I half expected a chick lit book filled with sibling rivalry. But it was a lot of Joan's angst and feelings of inadequacy punctuated with her inability to feel anything good about her life. Then Prince Charming, aka Ken, arrives. I was somewhat surprised by the introduction of a devout Christian into the storyline. Joan's conflicts had nothing to do with his beliefs but her questions about why she didn't feel the same about her religion. Her sister...more
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Virginia Smith is the author of twelve Christian novels as well as dozens of articles and short stories. In 2008, she was named Writer of the Year at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Stuck in the Middle, book one in her Sister-to-Sister Series, was a finalist for ACFW’s 2009 Book of the Year award, and A Taste of Murder was a finalist for the 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in...more
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Jul 01, 2011 05:54am